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Bye Robin – An Alternative View

Morning Gooners.

Gambeano is off on his holibobs so I’m helping to hold the fort whilst he’s sunning himself. I must say I didn’t expect to step into the breach quite so soon, but the announcement on Robin van Persie‘s website has forced my hand somewhat.

So RvP will not be signing a new contract, citing that he and the club “in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal should move forward”. It is easy to feel downhearted, especially as he had his best season last term – it is hard to know where we’d have been without him last season. Part of me wishes we could allow him to run his contract down, the club then looks like seriously challenging for trophies half-way through next season which convinces him to sign one. Sadly, the nature of football these days means we will in all likelihood have to sell him. Besides, the statement doesn’t exactly sound keen on his part. The good thing is that this news is actually quite early in the close season by Arsenal’s standards, and as this news is not exactly a total shock, the club can get down to the business of bringing in replacements. (Emphasis on the plural there.)

With this in mind, I have to say I’m not quite as distraught as some Gooners. Only a fool would seriously believe that players stay for life in the modern game, the days of one-club men like Tony Adams are long gone. Also much as RvP loves the club, he didn’t grow up dreaming of playing for us and never supported Arsenal as a kid, so given that trophies have been sparse to say the least, I think it is understandable that he would want a serious tilt at one elsewhere. (If that truly is the reason of course, and looks like we’ll have to wait for confirmation of the club’s version of events.)

I’ve always been pretty philosophical in situations like this – as players seldom stay at the club for the entirety of their careers, if they want to leave then let them. There are those that will say “if he wants to win trophies he should stay and help us win one”, but in the last 18 months is hard to see how he could have done any more. As deeply disappointing as his eventual departure may be, he has played his heart out for us, and for that at least we should be grateful. But we must remember great attackers come and go – there was an Arsenal before Ian Wright and there was an Arsenal after; there was one before Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry and there was one after, and there will certainly be one after Robin van Persie has departed. And Arsene Wenger unearthed the last two, so I’m inclined to place my faith in him to find the next one. Looking at it another way, perhaps Robin has to leave in order to make way for a next hero at the club.

Admittedly this final paragraph may set me apart from some fans but personally I thank Robin van Persie for all the goals and the efforts – he’s given us some great moments to cheer, far too numerous to mention. But at the end of the day, whether they are heroes like Henry or or sh*ts like Samir Nasri, players eventually leave, so I will wish RvP all the best (although he’ll be massively pushing my goodwill if he goes to another Premier League club). The club is still here, we will rise again, so I’ll just get on with supporting the club I love, The Arsenal.

13 thoughts on “Bye Robin – An Alternative View”

There was a different vision at our club when David Dein was there. Ivan Gazidis does not carry any clout or serious respect with the team.
I can’t believe that no one from the board has spotted this, whenever I see the man I cant help but feel drained for some reason. He has an incredibly grey/bland way about him.
I am positive that David Dein would have sat down with an unsettled player and had a chat with him, his whole persona made you feel comfortable, the guy was Arsenal.
All Arsenal fans that I talk too can’t stand Gazidis so why do our board keep someone who’s ‘vision’ has cost the club our best players season after season. When your club is run a certain way and the players have no respect for the club, it’s time for change.
Many years ago now David Dein had a vision for Arsenal football club were he wanted to compete for some of the best players around and uphold our status as one of the best football teams in the world. He wanted to compete financially and improve our top players salaries, without of course bankrupting the club. Which only NOW the board have decided to do.
If the Arsenal board would have stuck with Dein’s idea I am 100% certain that we would not have been in the position we are now, were our best players want to run as quickly as possible the minute a rival club that can compete financially and can compete for silverware comes in for them.

I have to say that I agree completely with your article. In the end a player is going to want to win trophies and unfortunately I do not see our current team winning to many of those in the coming year. This brings me to my next point, RvP is getting old and therefore he’s gonna want to win some trophies especially after Netherlands crashed out of the Euro. So overall I am very disappointed but I think he’s played amazing for us in the past year or so and I want to wish him all the best.

Y are you concentreting on RVP only? Dont forget that Walcot’s contract is also running out soon. Only one year has remained on his contract. Actualy he was not in a hurry to sign a new contract because he was waiting to see how RVP issues go. Am afraid we may also lose him. But am not much worried much about RVP because am not seeing him hit 36 goals in all competion again. I only pray that walcot signs a new contract.

if robin van persy did not sign a new deal it means that he’s another fucking nasri, he has never ever play 20 games a season for us before, just because he was brillaint last season he thinks he can fuck with we the funs, let him go fuck him self. We need players like vermelen in our beloved arsenal.. Fuck u van..

I agree with your sentiments.he feels he’ll achieve his goal of silverware elsewhere,then we should let him go.he has provided us with great memories.all we can do is wish him all the best.AFC will still exist.and we have Poldi and Giroud!and most importantly TIME to reinforce.

So true – Arsenal FC does not start and end with Robin van Persie. Now we don’t have to go through that last -minute Christmas Eve present-buying rush on the last day of the transfer window as we now know what needs to be done.

I watched all the Euro games and i mostly focused on arsenal players. And i mostly payed attention to walcot and Rvp. Walcot looked more world class than Rvp. I think by putting walcot upfront in Rvp’s position he unlock defences and can be a threat. I remember when we faced Man city. Rvp had problems getting over Vincent Kompany but i believe in walcot. My wish is seeing him in Red and white next season plus a new attacking midfieder.